Travelling with kids, regardless of their age, can be a daunting prospect. There’s so much to pack and arrange, and lots of thought needs to be put into your itinerary so that the kids can stick to their much-needed sleeping and eating routines without too much disruption.
We’ve put together this list of travel hacks, that will make your life oh-so-much easier when you’re either on road, in the air, or stuck in a hotel room – so you can spend more time on having a great time!
1. Invest in an identity bracelet
Nothing is more terrifying than being in unfamiliar surrounds, and thinking you’ve lost your kid (or in fact actually losing your kid!) Identity bracelets are a good way of taking the panic out of busy cities and a hectic itinerary. You can go for a disposable, waterproof variety or splash out a bit and opt for something more robust and permanent. Either way, an ID bracelet is a must-have family travel accessory.
2. Scan copies of travel documents and keep them on your phone
Lost passports can be a real nightmare, wherever you are in the world. It’s not a bad idea to keep images of all your vital information – like your travel itinerary, your credit card and perhaps any medicine prescriptions you have for you or the kids. Having all the information at your fingertips, when things go awry (as they sometimes do) will make a big difference.
3. Pack a power board
If your family is anything like mine, you’ll always travel with a myriad of electronic devices: smart phones, tablets, laptops … all of which seem to need charging at the same time! Pack your own power board and nobody will have to wait in line for the wall socket to be free. It will save you heaps of tears at the end of the long day, that’s a promise!
4. Create a portable art easel
Carting along a whole heap of art and craft supplies on a road or plane trip is never a good idea. Glue makes a mess, pens leak and pencils are easily lost. BUT if you create a portable art kit out of an old DVD cover, you’ll have a ready-to-use art studio in a self-contained mess-free box. That’s a hack happy idea!
5. Sit messy kids on a sheet
Long car trips can be fraught with backseat fighting, crumbs and spilt juice! We can’t do much about the fighting, but if you cover the car seat with old sheets from the start, no amount of squashed grapes or soggy sandwiches will deter you from getting to your destination. Remove the sheet when you’re ready, shake off the crumbs and hey presto – your car is all clean again! (It works wonders if your kids get car sick, too!)
6. Roll clothes, don’t fold them
The secret of packing a good suitcase is all about culling your selection before you pack it. Everyone knows you only ever need half of whatever you think you need. But not many people know the rest of the secret. Instead of neatly folding each piece of clothing and trying to arrange it in a jigsaw formation in your suitcase, try rolling each piece instead. You’ll be able to fit a whole heap more in, and it also means you’ll be able to see exactly where everything is … not to mention how wrinkle-free everything will be.
7. Hang a shoe organiser to keep things handy
This is one travel hack that you’ll keep coming back to every time. Save your sanity on long car trips by attaching a canvas shoe organiser to the back of the front seats. Fill each compartment with toys, snacks, wipes and anything else the kidlets might need for a holiday road trips. It’s your ‘passport’ to peace and quiet!
8. Pre-freeze yoghurt pouches for car trips
Those nifty little supermarket yoghurt pouches will become your snack time saviour when you’re on the road. Especially if you’re battling hot, sticky weather. While you’re at it, try freezing water bottles or popper drinks, too. It’s not only nice and refreshing, but it will keep little hands busy (at least for a time).
9. Use hotel shower caps for dirty shoes
There’s nothing worse than having to travel with a pair of wet or muddy shoes. Never fear, the hotel bathroom amenities kit can help! Just pop the offending items into the disposable shower cap that the hotel provides, and pack at the bottom of your suitcase. It will save the rest of your luggage from becoming contaminated with muck. Clever, simple and painless!
10. Consider late-night flights for kids under three
There’s nothing worse than getting on a long-haul flight in the mid-afternoon and then struggling to get the kids to sleep at their ‘normal’ bedtime. The best way to tackle mid-air sleep dramas is to book flights that depart after 9pm. That way you can board the plane after dinner time – when they’re already in their pyjamas AND you’ve run them ragged in the airport lounge. This is a sure-fire way to get them to sleep before you’ve even left the runway.
11. Bring a night light
Unfamiliar accommodation and different beds can often make little ones feel a bit nervous. But bring your own night light from home and you’ll be amazed at how that can calm their nerves. The soft familiar glow that they are used to will give them comfort – especially as hotel rooms can be absolutely pitch dark once the lights go out.
12. Make a travel map for long car trips
If you’ve got a BIG road trip coming up with older kids, this nifty little idea will keep those little brains busy for the duration. Use Google Maps to print out your journey, and then give your kids their own set of pens to mark out your progress. You can even laminate the maps, and give them whiteboard markers to keep track of your location. Make it even more of a project by asking them to fill in details of each town as you pass through.
13. Wrap up little presents for the journey
Add a little element of surprise on long-haul flights or road trips by wrapping up a couple of small presents for each of your beloved offspring. Pull them out whenever you need a little something different to keep them amused. Or use them as prizes for games of Rock Paper Scissors or Traveller’s Alphabet.
14. Rent car seats at your destination, rather than bringing them from home
When you’re travelling by plane, there are definite pros and cons when it comes to renting or bringing car seats for your little ones. Yes, it’s always nicer to have your own – you know where it’s been and you know it’s safe, but lugging a bulky car seat around an airport is a headache you definitely don’t need. When you’re wrangling over-tired kids and you’ve barely had 40 winks yourself, the less luggage you’ve got, the better. Rent and relax, that’s our motto.
15. Arm yourself with Ziploc bags in multiple sizes
Never underestimate the value of a Ziploc bag when travelling. Use them as toiletry bags, phone or camera cases when you’re at the beach, or use them to store jewellery or nappies and wipes. This is one travel accessory no parent should ever travel without. You just never know when your next Ziploc bag is going to save the day!
16. Stock up on lollies
This might sound like an obvious holiday inclusion, but not for the reasons you think! Yes, it’s always nice to have a treat when you’re on the road or stuck on a plane for hours on end, but lollies are about so much more than just a sugary hit. They’re great for kids to suck on if they get sore ears on the plane, and work wonders on those who might feel a little nauseous in the backseat of the car. All hail lolly power!
17. Use bathroom storage solutions in your car
You know those shower caddies or small storage containers with suction cups on the back? These make for great in-car storage for road trips. Use them to store pencils and other stationery items, or for drink bottles and snack packs. Then simply suction them to windows in the back. That way you’ll never hear the words, “Mum, can you please pass me my …”.
18. Include a change of clothes for bub AND mum
It goes without saying that you should always pack an extra change of clothes for bub when you’re on a long trip (car or plane), but most mums forget to pack a change of clothes for themselves. That can be a bit of an unfortunate oversight when you’re stuck on a 12-hour flight with baby sick all over your pants. Oh yes, you’ll thank us for this one!
19. Pack cords and chargers in a sealable container
Loose electrical cords pose a serious strangulation hazard to little kids, so roll up all your power chords and pack them neatly in a sealable container. Not only will this ensure they don’t find their way into the wrong little hands, but it also means you’ll know exactly where to find them AND that they won’t be in knots when you do.
